Polar Bears In The Wild: A Visual Essay of an Endangered Species

by Joe McDonald

Overview

Polar bears are the largest of all of the earth’s land predators. In this evocative book, you’ll learn about the bears’ daily habits—from eating, to playing, to sleeping, to socializing, and mating. You’ll discover facts about their natural habitats, dens, physical characteristics, their numbers, prey preferences, and much more. The book is filled with a stunning collection of over 180 images from Joe and Mary Ann McDonald, Tom Wester, Steve Metildi, and Katherine Pierce. On page after page, you’ll enjoy storytelling images that depict polar bear cubs and adults in the wild. With a rich combination of compelling photographs and detailed, informative captions that provide descriptions of the behaviors and actions depicted in the images, both kids and adults alike are sure to enjoy this book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682033371
Publisher:	Amherst Media, Incorporated
Publication date:	05/15/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	216 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Joe and Mary Ann McDonald are professional wildlife photographers with a special interest in Polar Bears and Big Cats. Joe is the author of eleven books on wildlife or wildlife photography, and Mary Ann is the author of twenty-nine children’s books. Joe and Mary spend over half the year in the field photographing, leading photo safaris, and conducting tours to worldwide destinations that typically include five continents. They currently reside in McClure, PA. Learn more at www.hoothollow.com.

Table of Contents

About the Authors Introduction 1. Polar Bears World 2. Bears on the Ice 3. The Bears of Churchill 4. Other Bears Conclusion Index

Editorial Reviews

Outstanding color photography distinguishes this “visual essay” by award-winning photographer Joe McDonald. The polar bear, certainly one of the planet’s most recognized animals, is also one of the most endangered. “Today,” writes McDonald, “this magnificent predator, the largest non-marine carnivore on Earth, is in danger of extinction.” This sublime book melds an informative text with intimate photographs of the polar bear, presenting a story of precarious survival. Each of the book’s highly visual chapters discusses aspects of the bear’s life on land, on the ice, as hunter, as parent, and at play. Brief yet enlightening, the text acts as a bridge from one photograph to another. Accompanying each photograph is an explanatory caption that perfectly describes the picture’s action. The photos—some by McDonald, others from outside contributors—are all of superb quality. Each captures an uncensored moment in the life of a polar bear in its natural habitat. McDonald writes that this work represents “one of the most diverse collections of Polar Bear photographs ever published.” While some of the hunting photos are unflinchingly brutal, there are many more shots that are charmingly engaging. There are photos of bears in differing light, photos of adults in various colors (McDonald points out that polar bears are not only white but can appear yellow and sometimes even brown), and photos of mothers and cubs. In addition, there are photos of other arctic animals, including birds, foxes, and seals. This book offers a rare, up-close-and-personal view of the polar bear that leads to a true appreciation of the animal’s harsh lifestyle. As McDonald eloquently states, “One could, perhaps, liken the Polar Bear to the proverbial canary in the coal mine, a harbinger of threats all of us may face in the not too distant future.” Polar Bears in the Wild is a visual feast to be savored.

Barry Silverstein

No one but Joe McDonald can combine lucid and informative text with such superb photographs to portray so passionately the lives of Polar Bears.” —Terry L. Master, Ph.D., Professor of Biology

“This is a special and important book for our understanding and appreciation of these fine creatures.” —Peter Hudson, Director of Life Science, Willaman Chair of Biology, Penn State University

“Joe and Mary Ann McDonald have traveled the world photographing Polar Bears, and his text and their photographs reveal the exciting and often unseen world of these iconic predators.” —Dr. Rafael L. Joglar, Universidad de Puerto Rico

From the Publisher